Lighting Symbols

[iamchristuffin]

Hi

 

This may have been posted before, but I searched on Google and on here, and I still didn't get my question answered.

 

I'm quite new to lighting, and I've never needed to draw a lighting plan before.

 

I'd like to know where I could find JPG symbols for:

 

Cantata F

Canta PC

Source 4 Par

Cantata 18/32

Mac 250/250+

Source 4 Profile

Selecon Profile

 

 

I'm going to buy a stencil when I have some money!!

 

Thanks

[paulears]

I've exported some symbols as a jpg file - they might be useful, some of what you ask for are in there - but the conversion from vector graphics to jpg isn't excellent - anyway, they are here

[peternewman]

If you are just drawing a plan then the fixtures don't have to be completely accurate, it's more important for the crew rigging it that they all look fairly different and more crucially there is a key to refer to, although obviously it helps if you try and keep some sort of scale, so don't have the 500w fresnel twice as large as the 2k one. This way they know what to rig where. Equally if they need gels/gobos/irises in, then these should be clearly marked.

[Tomo]

While at Uni I actually did a few rig plots in MS Word(!)

Not a route I'd recommend, but it worked ok (ish).

 

There are a few vague 'standards' for generic lantern symbols:

- Parcan is a round-backed half-rectangle - sometimes the front line isn't drawn.

- Fresnel is a rectangle with a zig-zag front

- PC is a rectangle with a rounded front

- Profile Spot is a long thin rectangle, and the back end is altered to show the kind.

- Flood is a trapezoid, and the light comes out the wide end

 

If you have a low and high wattage of the same kind of lantern, then the high is the same as the low, except bigger.

 

Generally, the gel number is written across the front, and a gobo number at the side/across the middle.

 

If there are only a few different gels in use, it may be better to label the fixtures as "Straw" "Blue" "Amber" etc, with the actual gel numbers in a key at the side.

While this isn't really the 'pro' method (we generally prefer gel numbers), it's much easier for unskilled help to pick out a "Straw" from the pile of cut gel than an "L103"

 

You may be tempted to change the colour of the symbol or text to show gel colour - don't!

It makes it so much harder to read than black ink, and doesn't photocopy well.

 

However, the most important thing is to use an easily-recognisable different symbol for each type of lantern, and include a key!

[IRW]

While at Uni I actually did a few rig plots in MS Word(!)

Not a route I'd recommend, but it worked ok (ish).

 

Word? Noo, you have to use Excel (using Autoshapes for your lanterns)!

 

The good old days of school... :D

[gareth]

Both Cad4Theatre and Modelbox have libraries of plan symbols in DXF/DWG format that you can download for free. If you can find yourself a free DXf/DWG viewer on the web somewhere (I have no idea where, but there must surely be one somewhere!) you can view whichever symbols you want.